Children to raise voices for history

Boulder Children's Choral Celebration of American Music set for Saturday

By Terri Chance

For the Enterprise

Posted:
05/13/2014 05:25:55 PM MDT

BELTING IT OUT: The Boulder Children's Chorale and Broomfield's Mountain View Elementary School will perform Sunday at the Broomfield Auditorium, 3 Community Park Road. (Julie Hale / For the Enterprise)

The public is invited to take a stroll through the history of American music Sunday with the Boulder Children's Chorale.

The 65 students will showcase their talents with a sampling of jazz, folksongs, spirituals and Broadway hits. An additional 45-member group from Broomfield's Mountain View Elementary School also will perform.

The concert is a special 5-year anniversary celebration of the Chorale, which was founded in 2009 by Kim Watkins, the former associate conductor with the Boulder Chorale. She was approached by members of Board of Directors, asking her if she would like to form an arm of the adult choir for children. She said she happily agreed.

"I knew that Boulder County needed a children's chorus and I knew that so many students could benefit from the training," Watkins said. "And I enjoy it so much. Our students are sophisticated, bright, and capable. They brighten my day each time we meet."

In addition to the Children's Chorale and Mountain View choir, former Boulder Chorale conductor Dr. Timothy Snyder is flying in from Florida, where he serves as a professor at Jacksonville University, to work with the children. He has composed a song, "When All the World is Young" for the youngsters to perform.

"We also have two alumni students who will sing solos in the concert and others who will join us to sing our final selection, Allan Naplan's "Al Shlosha D'varim," Watkins said.

Ralphie's Ramblers, a CU Boulder-based jazz ensemble, will perform in the concert as well.

"We have so many guests and special features for this concert. It is sure to be an exciting event," she said.

Boulder Children's Chorale is comprised of three separate groups. Preparatory 1 Choir is made up of first through third graders, and Preparatory 2 Choir includes third through fifth graders. Bel Canto is for fourth- through eighth-graders, and Watkins said is the most advanced group.

HISTORY IN THE MAKING: A group of 45 students from Broomfield's Mountain View Elementary School choir will perform Sunday at the Broomfield Auditorium, 3 Community Park Road, along with the Boulder Children's Chorale. The performance will showcase the history of American music, with a sampling of jazz, folksongs, spirituals and Broadway hits. (Julie Hale / For the Enterprise)

Students do not have to audition for Preparatory 1 Choir, but must audition in order to advance within Boulder Children's Chorale. Prior training or experience is not required to become a part of the organization.

"Most students come to us with natural ability, but do not have vocal training yet," Watkins said.

Brennan Mcgilvray is an 8-year-old Broomfield resident. He has only been in the choir for a few months. So far during his lifetime, Mcgilvray said he has no plans to embark on a career in music. He only joined because he said he likes to sing.

His favorite song in Sunday's performance is "Dry Bones," a traditional spiritual written in the early 1900s by James Weldon Johnson. It's the familiar childhood song that says the heel bone is connected to the ankle bone, and on up until the neck bone is connected to the head bone.

While Mcgilvray likes to sing, the man of few words explained what he likes best about the Boulder Children's Choral.

"The teacher is nice."

Watkins said the choir is growing, performing more and more. She said she is excited about expanding, adding to the number of performances and the area in which the choir performs. Her hope is to tour nationally and internationally.

The most interesting aspect of the Boulder Children's Choral is in watching the children progress from year to year, she said.

"We get to watch these future leaders blossom, and it's such a privilege," Watkins said.

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